Those Jews
You call me a damned Jew. My race was old when you were all savages. I am proud to be a Jew. John Galsworthy, Loyalties, Act ii
The Jews are among the aristocracy of every land; if a literature is called rich in the possession of a few classic tragedies, what shall we say to a national tragedy lasting for fifteen hundred years, in which the poets and the actors were also the heroes. George Eliot, Daniel Deronda.
Suavity toward the Jews! Although you have lived among them, it is evident that you little understand those enemies of the human race. Haughty and at the same time base, combining an invincible obstinacy with a spirit despicably mean, they weary alike your love and your hatred. Anatole France, The Procurator of Judea.
When people talk about a wealthy man of my creed, they call him an Israelite; but if he is poor they call him a Jew. Heinrich Heine, MS papers.What is it that explains the high exceptionality of Jewish intelligence, enterprise, capability, imagination, creativeness, and genius? For, among a finite people representing a minuscule proportion of the human race, Jewish birthright has produced far more than its logical share of geniuses and Nobel Prize winners than any other single, or combined ethnic or religious group in the world.
Learning, education and high achievement is encouraged and valued by Jewish tradition. Thinking, communicating, theorizing, synthesizing and producing results in areas as far afield as philosophy, nuclear and theoretical physics, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, architecture, musical performance and the plastic arts and more have seen their heights of achievement by Jews.
In modern times Jews living in western nations have been over-represented among intellectual elites, academicians, and the socio-economic demographics of society. It is thought that inbred intelligence is certainly at play here, and along with cultural values promoting success, a winning combination ensues. Whatever the identifiable cause, it is without doubt that Jews do in fact represent the cream of intelligence and achievement.
Representing a mere 0.2% of humankind, Jews represent 54% of world chess champions, 27% of Nobel physics laureates, and 31% of medical laureates. In the United States 21% of Ivy League students, 37% of Academy Award-winning directors, 38% of leading philanthropists, 51% of Pulitzer Prize nonfiction winners, represent an impressive showing for a group representing 2% of the U.S. population.
Within Israel enterprise and intelligence are highly regarded and pursued. This, in a country which has had to sidetrack its academic achievements, finances and production capability to devote an absolute portion of its energies, treasury and attention to politics evolving around its geographical placement and the complementary necessity of fighting to protect its citizens and its very existence as a state.
Despite which, a people under constant attack and dread of displacement, exacerbated by a dread history of atrocities suffered without end, has become one of the most successfully enterprising nations on earth. Israel leads the world in civilian research and development spending per capita, ranking second behind its great good friend, the United States in Nasdaq-listed companies.
And this, with a population of seven million. Yet attracting as much venture capital as both Germany and France - themselves very well adapted and flourishing - combined. Barclay analysts claim Israel to represent "the strongest recovery story" in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in its weathering of the global recession. Israel registered 7,652 patents in the U.S. between 1980 and 2000.
Achievement extraordinaire.
If my theory of relativity is proven successful, Germany will claim me as a German and France will declare that I am a citizen of the world. Should my theory prove untrue, France will say that I am a German and Germany will declare that I am a Jew. Albert Einstein, Address, Sorbonne, Paris.
Labels: Israel, Science, Technology, Traditions
posted by Pieface @ Friday, January 15, 2010
<< Home